01 · the cities
Omaha
Omaha is the steakhouse capital of the prairie, home to Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett still eats at the same Dundee diner), and the Henry Doorly Zoo, which is consistently ranked among the best in the world. The Old Market downtown is brick-and-cobblestone charm. The Reuben sandwich claims to have been invented here, and the locals will fight you on it. Friendly to a fault.
full dispatch→Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids has won Beer City USA multiple times, hosts ArtPrize (one of the world's largest open art competitions every fall), and built itself on furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller). The Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park is a sleeper world-class attraction. Downtown is walkable, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous in autumn, and Lake Michigan beaches are 30 minutes west. Quietly excellent.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,412/mo
$1,620/mo
$208/mo more than Omaha (13%)
Median home price
Median home price
$306k
$353k
$47k more than Omaha
State income tax
State income tax
5.8%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,435/mo
$6,359/mo
Omaha has $76/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
145 days
151 days
6 more than Omaha
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
11 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
53 days
50 days
days below 20°F per year
Omaha has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Grand Rapids.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
53 / 100
56 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Omaha
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
19 routes
20 routes
Metro size
Metro size
985k metro
1.2M metro
Omaha has 1.1x fewer events per month than Grand Rapids.
the verdict
3
Omaha
categories won
4
Grand Rapids
categories won
Grand Rapids wins on weather and lifestyle. Omaha has the edge on money.
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